“‘See now,’ I said to Sarkis; ’I was right in saying he was going to trick you.  Now it has proved itself.’

“’If one sneezes only once by day that is a bad sign, but at night it means something good,’ he interrupted me.

“‘Oh,’ I said, ’do not, I pray, give me lessons; don’t teach me what a sneeze is the sign of.  Whether it is in the daytime or at night it is a bad sign, and if one just made up his mind to do anything, he should let it drop.’

“Sarkis would not give in that I was right, but began to chatter about a sneeze at night being a good thing.  I said no and he said yes, and so it went on until I finally gave it up.”

“’Oh, ’I said, ’have your own way, but when misfortune comes to you do not blame me for it.’

“‘I have really begun nothing,’ he observed.  ’That was only a talk.  We have only discussed something.  I have really no desire to try my hand with the tea and tobacco.’

“That he said to me, but heaven only knows! perhaps in his thoughts he was already counting the thousands he hoped to earn.  Money has such power that my blessed grandmother always said that the devil had invented it.  He had racked his brains to find a way to lead mankind into wickedness and did not succeed until he invented money.  Then he was master of our souls.  How many men money has deprived of reason!  Sarkis was not of so firm a mind that he would be able to stand out against such rosy hopes.

“The next day, early in the morning, the shop-boy came running into the house in a great hurry, and said that nine cart-loads of goods were standing at the gate.  The man who was in charge of them was asking for Sarkis.

“‘What kind of an invasion is this!’ cried Sarkis.  ’I must go and see who it is.  Perhaps the loads are not for me at all.  God knows for whom they are!’

“He went out, and we after him.  Although I had not seen the loads of goods, I knew the whole story in a moment.

“Before we had reached the gate a man met us and said: 

“’My master sends you greeting and begs you to take these nine wagon-loads of goods and sign for them.’

“‘Who is your master?’ we asked, all together.

“’Hemorrhoid Jack.  Don’t you know him?  He was at your house last evening.’

“I was ready to burst with anger.

“‘You fellow,’ I said, ’who told your master to send these goods here?  Have we ordered anything?  Turn at once and get out of the room.’

“‘Is that so!’ said the man.  ’After a thing is settled you can’t take back your word.  Where shall I put the goods now?’

“‘Where you brought them from, take them back there!’

“‘The coach-house is closed.’

“‘That does not concern us; that is your master’s affair.’

“‘If he were here I would tell him, but he is not here.’

“‘Where is he then?’ I asked.

“‘He has gone to Taganrog.’